FELINFOEL READY TO CELEBRATE WITH TITLE IN THE BAG
THERE will be a celebratory mood at Felinfoel this evening after they were confirmed as champions of One West for the second season running.
The Llanelli club’s title triumph was confirmed on Saturday without even taking to the field after nearest challengers Dunvant’s 27-23 home defeat by Gorseinon.
Felinfoel’s final league match is tonight against rivals Llanelli Wanderers before they start to prepare for the Championship play-off over two legs against the winners of One West Central.
“To do it back-to-back is testament to the players,” said proud head coach Mike King.
“The second year is always harder. You’ve got that target on your back and nobody really saw us coming last year and we blew it away.
“This year, sides knew what we were about and to do it again is just tremendous.
“We’ve had some slip-ups where we haven’t performed and naivety has cost us, but we’ve been the best and most consistent team in the division.
“And when your peers come back and acknowledge that as they did on Saturday evening when we put the tweet out, you can’t ask for much more than that.”
King’s men have won 17 of their 21 matches.
“There are probably two standout fixtures,” he added. “Winning up in Aberystwyth, which is always a tough place to go, with a depleted squad in the early part of the season and the other one was the Gowerton victory at home.
“They were second at the time and we beat them 50-7 in horrendous conditions and dominated the game.
“I can’t fault the players, they are easy to coach.
“This is the first time that Felinfoel have won the league back-to-back but we couldn’t have done it without the support of the whole club.
“What we’ve managed to achieve since I’ve been there is really align the club. Now all of a sudden, it’s not just junior section, youth section, senior section – we’re all one club.
“Without the support of the juniors and the youth coming through, it just wouldn’t work at all. It’s a great club.”
With a play-off showdown, probably against Ystalyfera, now on the horizon, Felinfoel will be able to draw on their experience of 12 months ago when they were beaten over two legs by Maesteg Quins for a place in the WRU National Championship.
King said: “I think we will be better placed this time and we’re certainly stronger.
“The only issue that we’ve got is that our last league game is this Wednesday and then we’re probably looking at roughly a month before the play-offs.
“So the key thing for me is to keep the boys fresh and active, keep training interesting and fun and making sure we don’t go stale.
“The contact work and making sure we’re match-fit going into the play-offs is the main concern for me, so we need to manage it in the right way.”
King said the club would also take promotion which could even throw up an interesting derby with Llanelli, their illustrious neighbours from
Parc y Scarlets, who are currently fighting to save their Principality Premiership lives.
He added: “The Championship next year is going to be a tough division, especially with those teams dropping down from the Premiership.
“I think as a club, we’d embrace it. We’d be the first Llanelli club to get to that arena and I don’t think we’d have an issue attracting players.
“We’d move forward and if it comes, it comes, but if not then so be it.
“We just want to remain competitive in whatever division we’re in.”
Dunvant’s slim hopes finally ended with defeat at home by Gorseinon.
Ben Cross and Niall Popham were among the try scorers for the visitors with Liam Popham kicking the rest of the points. Mitchell Ford and Ollie Beck went over for Dunvant, both converted by Adam Williams-Parry who also kicked three penalties.
Elsewhere in One West there were wins for Crymych, Aberystwyth, Llangennech and Whitland.
In Two West, Pembroke joined Penclawdd in being confirmed in the top two with a 36-25 win at Pontyberem. It means the title will go down to the final game for those two sides on April 27.
Penclawdd, who are three points clear, host Pontyberem. Pembroke go to St Clears.
There were also wins for Carmarthen Athletic, Fishguard, Mumbles and Burry Port.
Aberaeron struck a blow in the race for the Three West A title after defeating rivals Milford Haven 19-11.
It cut Milford’s lead to nine points, while Aberaeron have four games remaining compared with just two for the leaders.
And in Three West B, one more win will do for Nantgaredig as they edged a step closer with a 62-22 win at Llandybie.
Rhys Schiavone, Rhydian Davies and Rhydian Evans all crossed twice while Dafydd Lewis, Bleddyn Lewis, Meirion Davies and Lloyd Williams also dotted down in the 10-try romp.
Williams kicked six conversions for Nant who are now 18 from 18 in the league this season and are 13 points clear with four to play.
Nearest challengers Amman United, who defeated Llandeilo 31-11, only have three matches left to play.